The upcoming July full moon, traditionally called the full “buck” moon, will arrive on the heels of the summer solstice. It will be the first of four super moons this year, and thus will appear bigger and brighter than most full moons. But as it falls so close to the solstice, it’s arc will hang low around the horizon.
We'll unpack more about this moon so you can enjoy the spectacle more fully. Firstly, we should reveal how the full “buck” moon racked up its curious moniker.
Full “Buck” Moon?
The July full moon is named after the male deer, or bucks, that seasonally grow their antlers out, sometimes to impressive sizes, during this month. The July moon has other popular names such as the salmon moon and feather molting moon, though these are less common, according to
Almanac. Traditionally, Native American cultures also dubbed it the raspberry, berry, or thunder moon.
A Super Moon
We can expect the upcoming full moon to be brighter than your average, as it will be what’s called a super moon. This is where the full moon occurs on or about its closest orbital point to the Earth, or perigee. The moon’s orbit is far from round; it follows an elliptical path around the Earth, so there are points where the moon is closest and furthest away, the latter being its apogee.
